With car prices going up and up and waiting lists for many new vehicles, what can you buy now for munching the miles?

Mercedes E350CDI.

After the relative unreliability of the W211 generation the W212 has been a bit of a revelation. The 6 cylinder diesel versions are fantastic cars with plenty of punch and an ability to cross countries with ease. For just under £10k you can get a well looked after 2012 example. A lot of car for the money.

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Lotus Elise S1

Let’s face it, cars are getting bigger and heavier. Why not spend your money on something that harks back to simpler times and a bit of racing heritage. The S1 weighs in at just over 725kg and can actually achieve quite impressive miles per gallon if driven carefully. The bodies are mainly fibreglass and aluminium so there’s not much in the way of rust to worry about. A good late-90s car will set you back around £17k and could well appreciate in value if looked after.

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Volkswagen Golf Diesel

The mk4 Golf is a solid chunk of a car and if you can find a decent GTI 150 PD you’ll be surprised by the performance. For a 20 year old car it has bags of torque and a respectable 0-60 time. A mint one with 150k miles will cost you around £4000.

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Audi A8 4.2 V8

The V8 diesel in this car is truly amazing. It shifts the big Audi along with absolutely no effort. Executive cruising for well under £10k.